Vanity case



March 31,1936. w, T, PARKIN 2,035,830

VANITY CASE Filed March 15, 1935 Patented Mar.

such, for exampl and like articles.

VANITY Winfred T. Parkin, Provide Theodore W. Foster & deuce, R. 1.

CASE

nee, R. 1., assirnor to Bro. Company, Provia corporation of Maine Application March 13, 1935, Serial No. 10,818

4 Claims.- '(Cl. 206-37) T This invention relates to powder containers as are used in vanity cases When loose powder is disposed in a vanity case or like article of its leaking out or of the case is accide when the case is carried a handbag. In order to o D tionable features the use of there is a constant danger being spilled if the cover ntally opened, particularly on 'the person or in vercome these objeca screen or perforate plate over the powder. compartment has been proposed, but in suc h constructions the screen or perforate plate merely prevents the powder from wholly spilling out and does not prevent leaking.

obstruction which powder and permit be dispensed, It

Moreover, the screen or plate. constitutes an prevents free access to the s onlyv a limited amount to has also been proposed to provide a leakproof seal or gasket about the i powder compartment such, for example, as a layer of compressi-bl rim of the contain whil age do not prevent when the cover is op The principal obj provide a vanity case or e generally satisfactor e packing material about the er, but such constructions y in preventing leake powder from spilling out ened.

ects of this invention are to like article having a powder compartment and a closure which provides a substantially proo closure, and the appearance of obstruction preventing free access to the to be dispensed; to

a leakproof construction which is compa of pleasing and attractiveappearance an is so designed that the closure may be e quickly manipulated; and to provide case which is of strong and durable leakproof seal and "spillwhich does not detract from the. case or constitute an powder having ct and d which asily and a vanity construcprovide a vanity case tion, having but few parts, which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble,

and. which can be sold at a relatively low cost.

Further objects and advant parent from a consideration description and accompanying Fig. 1 is a; perspective view constructed in acco vention;

ages will heapof the following drawing, wherein: of a vanity case rdance with the present in- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the closure member and associated parts;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3--3 Of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1: and Fig. 5 is an enla the front of the 1 wardly and inwardly curved deflector rged sectional view through case, showing the closure to support a cover IS. The

i and the front l9 may be secured. thereto at the level of the bottom as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

"overhangs the flange member and cover of the case in closed position.

The embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a case which may be of conventional construction having side walls Ill and II, a front wall I2 which may be of less height than the adjacent side walls, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a bottom wall I3 and a curved end wall HI which is provided with a hinge parts are prefersuitable material or worked and and retaining a ably of sheet metal or other which may be easily shaped which is capable of receiving surface finish. The cover I6 is provided with downwardly directed side flanges l'i and I8 which closely fit against the inner faces of the side walls l0 and H when in closed position edge of the cover is also provided with a flange having a lip 2| which provides a finger piece by means of which the cover may be opened. If desired a conventional spring catch may be provided, it being understood that the invention is not limited to the particular type of case and cover herein shown. The inside of the cover may be polished, or a mirror in any suitable manner.

Mounted within the case is a powder tray or container which preferably consists of a substantially flat piece of sheet metal or the like material shaped to provide a centrally disposed depression surrounded by an outwardly extending peripheral flange 26. The depression 25 constitutes the powder compartment proper and may be of any desired shape and depth, and if desired a conventional powder screen and powder puff may be disposed within the depression. On opposite sides the flange 26 is provided with downwardly directed walls 28 and 29 (Fig. 4) which extend below the bottom of the depression 25 and at the rear of the tray the flange 26 is provided with a downwardly and inwardly curved portion 30 which terminates preferably of the depression 25,

A rim 32 (Fig. 2) snugly fits about the tray and this rim is provided with a continuous inwardly directed peripheral flange 33 which 26 and defines therewith guide channels 35 and 36 at the opposite sides of the tray and a retaining channe13'l at the front of the tray, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 'I'he'rearof the rim 32 is provided with a down- 38 (Figs. and terll of the 3 and 4) which extends parallel to minates below the curved portion the guidechannels 35and 36. The rim .and

2 tray when these parts are in assembled relation, thus providing a curved passageway leading from tray may be secured together in any suitable manner, as for example, by inwardly struck,- protuberances or nibs 46 (Fig. 4) on the side walls 4| and 42 and/or the front wall 43, these nibs engaging similarly formed depressions in the,

I of the flanges 45 and46 engage the side walls 20 I6 and I I of'the case, defining therewith rearwardly .extending channels (Fig. 4) which receive the lateral flanges l1 and I8 of the cover when in closed position. The lower end of the deflector '39 is shaped to fit snugly within the' end wall I4 and the front wall 43 of the rim is shaped to fit snugly against the corresponding wall of the case, as shown in Fig. 3. The rim and tray are thus designed tightly to flt within the case and the parts may be firmly secured therein in any suitable manner as, for example, by inwardly struck protuberances or nibs 52 on the side walls of the case which engage the flanges 45 and 46 and also by similar nibs 5-3 struck out from the deflector 39 which engage the under surface of the hinges 15, as shown in Fig. 3. I

A closure member or curtain 55 of flexible sheet material such, for example, as heavy fabric, sheet celluloid, thin sheet metal, fibre-or the like material suificiently impervious ,to powder, is slidably mounted on the. top of the tray with its opposite side edges disposed in the guide channels 35 and 36 and its rear end extending into thecurved passage between the deflector 39- and the end wall 30 and thence into the concealed chamber 50, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The curtain 55 is sufliciently flexible to follow the curved guideway, but stiff enough to prevent collapsing or buckling when pushed endwise. a I

'As here shown the closure member preferably comprises astrip of fabric preferably having heavy strands extending transversely of the case to hold the curtain flat and keep its margins in the guide channels. The lateral edges of the fabric are preferably provided with strips of binding tape 56 and 51 (Fig. 2) which may be stitched or otherwise secured to the fabric and the front edge of the fabric is provided with a metal margin piece 58 having an upstanding lip 59 which provides a finger piece by means of which the closure may be slid along the tray. The binding strips 56 and 51 provide, in effect, beaded edges which fit snugly within the guide channels 35 and 36 and in a similar manner the margin piece 53 providesa beaded front edge which fits snugly within the retaining channel 31, thus providing. a substantially leak proof seal about the tray;

In order to permit the closure 55 to be drawn forwardly to a position wherein the margin piece 58 is substantially concealed and frictionally held between the flanges 26 and 33, the inner edge at the front of the flange 33 may be recessed, as shown at 60 (Fig. 2), for the reception of the finger piece 59 and in like manner the inner edge at the rear'of the flange 33 may be recessed, as indicated at 6|, to receivetheflngerpiece when the closure is slid to open position.

In-.-assembling the partsthe closure 55 is first disposed on the top of the tray and the rim may then be fitted over the closure and tray and snapped into-position so that the nibs 46 are disposed in the corresponding depressions in the walls of the tray, thus locking these parts in assembledrelation. The assembled tray, rim and closure may then be inserted in the case by first catching the nibs 53 on the under surface of the hinge l5 (Fig. 3) and swinging the front of the assemblage downwardly so that the flanges 45 and 46 snap past the nibs 52 on the side walls of the case.

In a case constructed in accordance with the present invention the closure 55 provides a leakproof seal about the powder tray and may be easily slid back and forth by means of the finger piece 59 from a closed position wherein the margin piece 58' is disposed within the retaining channel 31 and the marginal portions of the closure .member 55 held firmly against the peripheral flange 26, to an open position wherein the margin piece 58 is juxtaposed to the rear of the flange 33 and the major portion of the closure disposed within the chamber 50, thus permitting a free and unobstructed access to the powder compartment. By reason of the close fit of the beaded marginal portions of the closure 55 within the guide channels 35 and 36 and the frictional engagement between the margin piece 58 and the flanges 26 and 33, there is no danger of the closure accidentally opening or becoming loosened, and hencethe case may be safely carried on the person or in a handbag without liability of the powder leaking out.

It will be noted that the closure forms a substantially continuous covering across the entire inside area of the case and does not in any way detract from its appearance. Moreover the construction and arrangement of the parts is such that the finger piece is conveniently accessible and upon opening the cover it may be quickly manipulated to slide the closure to open position.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as a substitution of equivalent elements, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vanity case of sheet metal construction, said case having side, front, rear and bottom walls, a powder tray within said case with its rear wall spaced from the rear wall of said case and its bottom wall spaced from the bottom wall of said case to provide a concealed chamber, a rim member'surrounding said tray and having inwardly extending lateral flanges overhanging the front and side walls of said tray and providing parallel guide channels at'the opposite sides of the tray and a retaining chamber at the front with its lateral edges disposed in said guide channeis, said strip being movable from a closed position, wherein its front edge is disposed in said retaining channel, to an open position wherein the major portion of said strip is disposed in said chamber.

2. A vanity case of shee metal construction, said case having side, front, rear and bottom walls, a powder tray within said case with its rear wall spaced from the rear wall of said case and its bottom wall spaced from the bottom wall of said case to provide a concealed chamber, a rim member surrounding said tray and having inwardly extending lateral flanges overhanging the front and side walls of said tray and providing parallel guide channels at the opposite sides of the tray and a retaining chamber at the front of the tray, a downwardly curved deflector extending transversely across said case adjacent to its rear end and interposed between the rear wall of said tray and case, the

.end of said deflector terminating adjacent to the rear of said chamber, and a slidable closurecomprising a strip of sheet material slidably mounted on said tray with its lateral edges disposed in said guide channels, said strip being movable from a closed position, wherein its front edge is disposed within said retaining channel and its rear edge between said deflector and rear wall of said tray, to an open position wherein the front edge of said strip lies adjacent to the upper end of said deflector and its major portion is disposed within said chamber.

3. A vanity case having side, front, rear and bottom walls, a powder tray within said case with its rear wall spaced from the rear wall of said case and its bottom wall spaced from the bottom wall of said case to provide a concealed chamber, an outwardly extending peripheral flange surrounding the upper edge of said tray, an inwardly directed flange overhanging said peripheral flange at the front and side of said tray and defining a pair of guide channels at opposite sides of the tray and a retaining channel at the front of said tray, and a slidable closure comprising a strip of sheet material mounted on the top of said tray with its lateral edges disposed in said guide channels, said strip being movable from a closed position, wherein its front edge is disposed within said retaining channel and its rear edge between said deflector and rear wall of said tray, to an open position wherein the front edge of said strip lies adjacent to the upper end of said deflector and its major portion is disposed within said chamber.

4.A vanity case having side, front, rear and bottom walls, a powder tray within said case with its rear wall spaced from the rear wall of said case and its bottom Wall spaced from the bottom 'wall of said case to provide a concealed chamber, an outwardly extending peripheral flange surrounding the upper edge of said tray, a rim member surrounding said tray, said rim member having an inwardly directed peripheral flange overhanging the peripheral flange about said tray and defining therewith guide channels at opposite sides of said tray and a retaining channel at the front of said tray, the rear wall of said rim member having a downwardly curved deflector which terminates adjacent to the rear of said chamber, and a closure comprising a strip of sheet material slidably mounted on the top of said, tray with its lateral edges disposed in said guide channels, said strip being movable from a closed position, wherein its front edge is disposed within said retaining channel and its rear edge between said deflector and rear wall of said tray, to an open position wherein the front edge of said strip lies adjacent to the upper end of said deflector and its major portion is disposed within said chamber.

' WINFRED T. PARKIN. 

